PEOPLE are often encouraged to do things themselves and any self-help guide would be well advised to take a few tips from the Pakistan Welfare Association.

LOOKING to the future ... Mr M A Pasha at Pakistan House soon after its opening with some of the youngsters who would benefit from its facilities

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PEOPLE are often encouraged to do things themselves and any self-help guide would be well advised to take a few tips from the Pakistan Welfare Association.

When it needed a community centre it not only raised every penny for it but also members did all the work.

In addition the local community committed itself to meeting all the running costs, too.

Thus Pakistan House in Lower Tweedale Street became the only one of its kind in the country.

The Pakistan Welfare Association had accumulated a long list of achievements since it was formed in the late 1950s.

Chief among them was the setting up of the first mosque for Rochdale Muslims.

But it saw the setting up of a community centre as another important move.

Association chairman Mr M A Pasha said at the time it was needed not only to create awareness among the younger generation about the rich Pakistani social, cultural, religious and historical traditions, but also to develop and strengthen stronger relationships with the host community.

He also had hopes it would become the hub of diverse welfare projects.

Two houses in Lower Tweedale Street which would be converted into Pakistan House were bought in 1987.

Special efforts were then made to raise £20,000 to meet the cost of alterations.

All the hard work paid off when, in August 1990, the centre was opened by the then High Commissioner of Pakistan in the UK, Mr Seharyar Khan.

Following the opening Mr Pasha said: "Apart from adult education schemes and a day care nursery, we plan to form youth and ladies' wings."

Pakistan Welfare Association general secretary, Mr M Farid, said there would be no political aims.

He added: "We are out to serve in any way we can. To look after, protect and support the interests of Pakistanis in Rochdale and the district are among our chief objectives."

Mr Sufi Abdul Khalique, Association treasurer, said: "Lack of funds has always been a problem for us but we succeeded in achieving our objective without receiving a single penny from public sources, local or national."